Cinemalaya 2010: A battle between veteran, new directors?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
by Boy Villasanta, abs-cbnNEWS.com | 01/21/2010 12:10 PM
MANILA, Philippines - Former Cultural Center of the Philippines president Nestor Jardin delivered his opening remarks at the launch of the 6th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival Wednesday noon at the CCP Main Theater lobby with intriguing lines.
He said: “...the Open Category for established film directors was introduced to bring complication to the festival.”
Jardin wasn't speaking in limbo but on concrete terms.
It wasn't of course the complication of doomsayers, but the more enlightened vision of an artist and a technocrat.
The Open Category is an initial venture of the festival to feature works by Filipino directors, who, according to Cinemalaya Foundation Board of Director Laurice Guillen, have directed at least 3 full-length feature films that have been released commercially.
According to the CCP Public Relations Office, big name and established directors will add luster to this year's Cinemalaya.
From out of the 20 or so entries, only 5 got to the final round namely “Ang Paglilitis ni Bonifacio” by Mario O'Hara, “Isang Pirasong Buhay” by Mark Meily, “Pink Halu-Halo” by Joselito Altarejos, “Sigaw” by Joel Lamangan and “Two Funerals” by Gil Portes.
Meanwhile, the annual Full Length Category carries relatively young and independently spirited filmmakers.
Ten entries from out of 198 aspirants qualified officially to the contest. They are Gutierrez Mangansakan II's “Limbunan,” Sheron Dayoc's “Halaw,” “Arnel Mardoquio's “Sheika,” Dan Villegas and Paul Sta. Ana's “Mayohan,” Kim Homer C. Garcia's “Magkakapatid,” Danny Añonuevo's “Rekrut,” Francis Xavier Pasion's “Sampaguita,” Art Katipunan's “Si Techie, Si Tekboy at si JuanaB,” Dennis N. Marasigan's “Siya ang Mayor Ko” and Ian-Dean S. Lorenos' “The Leaving.”
Speaking on empirical sense, O'Hara said indie filmmaking isn't a new idea to the local film industry.
“Panahon pa ni Lino Brocka sa kanyang 'Insiang,' indie film na 'yon dahil maliit lang ang budget. Twelves days lang ang shooting days no'n. 'Yong pitu-pito ni Mother Lily (Monteverde, producer of Regal Entertainment), indie din 'yon. Ngayon, sa project na ito, ang mahalaga ay substance at performance.”
Lamangan, meantime, is very optimistic he can pull off a film that can conform to an indie filmmaking budget.
“Susubukan natin at alam ko na may magagawa tayo,” he said.
Portes is very certain he can do a full-length feature in the indie spirit by meticulously seeing through the script before the cameras roll.
He reminded the young indie filmmakers though to refrain from being too “ideal,” if not being unrealistic, about the handling of the material at hand.
This was how he contextualized it: “Halimbawa, ang isang bagong direktor, ayaw niyang mapuputulan ang kanyang mahabang mga eksena kahit wala nang sense.”
On the other hand, from among the new set of directors, the tension between them and the old timers isn't a problem.
“Wala namang magiging conflict dahil may respeto naman kami sa kanila. 'Yon lang, sa casting, 'yong ibang artista, nasa veteran directors at sa amin din kaya nagkaka-conflict sa schedule,” exclaimed Añonuevo.
Or what CCP PR head Irene Rada had said: “Marami ring matutunan ang mga bagong direktor sa mga beterano and vice versa.”
-Boy Villasanta, abs-cbnNEWS.com
